Sheet assembling apparatus



July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS l3 Shegts-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1944 INVENTOR Chrzszz'an Ruben BY g lzlmmugh mafdza mm MON a 1 4 1 \LmN mmm July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1944 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm Om MH INVENTOR. Chrisiz'an Ru [sen ge ltliamzmsdgfagmaw July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN 2,475,250

SHEET ASSEMBLmG APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 y// r/// M% w FF NNRJM @mm m u 1n fl m @Q a [We mm m n mm .m 11 w r wn C Y 8 @NM m 3m mmm m W N IQ Sm m PM mam July 12, 1949. c, PAUL SEN 2,476,250

SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS July 12, 1949. c PAULSEN 2,476,250

SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 A FL 0 0%? 1 INVENTOR.

- Chriszian Pau Z5671 BY 4M May 1 4 4m. \flZZfys C. PAULSEN SHEET AS SEMBLING APPARATUS July 12, 1949.

Filed April 20, 1944 15 Sheets-Sheet '7 sow mg INVENTOR.

8 BY 92M mgmgm July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS l3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed April 20, 1944 59 INVENTOR.

O UiUILLU 2 g 227 Chtz'siian Paulsen.

July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN 2,476,250

SHEET ASSEMBLING' APPARATUS Filed April 20, 1944 13 Sheets-Sheet 1o July 12, 1949. c. PAULSEN SHEET ASSEMBLINGAPPARATUS I 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed April 20, 1944 INVENTIOR. v Ch ris {fan Paulsen. BY

gfiw maffl C. PAULSEN SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Jul 1z, 1949.

13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed April 20, 1944 O1 200 198 1,99 INVENTOR 19 Chrisiz'arz j aulsen.

necessary Patented July 12 1949 sits OFFiQ 2,476,250 SHEET ASSEMBLING APPARATUS Christian Paulsen, Fair Lawn, Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago,

of West Virginia N. J., assignor to 111., a corporation Application April 20, 1944, Serial No. 531,855

I 28 Claims. I

This invention relates to sheet assembling apparatus of the type shown in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,205,433. The sheet assembling apparatus is adapted to assemble a selected number of sheets in a group so that a portion of each sheet in the group is exposed to receive printed, typed or written material while the remaining portion of each sheet, except the top sheet, is covered by superposed sheets of the group. machine for assembling and securing together sheets to provide units of the type described above. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide novel improvements in a machine of the type referred to whereby the assembly and securing together of sheets with any desired degree of overlap are accomplished at high speed with assurance of accuracy in the spacing of the sheets. My invention contemplates a machine of the character described wherein sheets that have been cut to uniform size are advanced by mechanisms that insure proper spacing, treated with adhesive at the desired places and placed together under pressure and then advanced unmolested for a time suiilcient to insure drying of the adhesive and delivered to a receivin tray or other receiving means. Means are provided to stop the machine in the event of failure of the feeding mechanism to provide a sheet at the proper time for incorporation into a group.

One form of the invention is embodied in a machine having means to receive sheets from a known suction type device which lifts sheets from a. stack and delivers them one at a time. This means comprises an advancing mechanism that takes the sheets step station where they may be treated with adhesive. An adhesive applying means is operable to suitably apply adhesive in spots to the sheets and when a selected number of sheets have been so treated to skip a sheet to thus provide a break in the continuity. The machine has means to place the adhesive-carrying sheets in overlapped relation with great accuracy in the degree of overlap. The machine also embodies means acting automatically to stop the operation when a sheet or sheets becomes stuck or clogged before reaching the overlapping point.

When the sheets are overlapped they are forced together under pressure, then advanced as a group, then held stationary while the next sheet is placed in overlapped position, and thereafter advanced again. Owing to the extreme accuracy in overlapping the sheets, this feature My prior patent discloses and claims a of the machine is quite important. It is evident that in using these units of sheets on duplicating machines error in the overlapping of sheets in a unit would in many cases make it impossible to use the same.

The overlapped and united sheets must be maintained in their correct position for a short time to insure setting of the adhesive. The machine of the present invention embodies means whereby this may be accomplished while the sheets are advanced without interfering with the overlapping and pressing together of the sheets.

The objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. It is to be understood however that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

-. In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a sheet assembling apparatus embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the apparatus as indicated by the line 2-2 on Figure 1; I Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged plan View of another portion of the apparatus as indicated by the line i i on Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 4;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2; Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a part of the sheet advancing means shown in plan view in Figure 2 and in section in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail view of certain parts shown in Figure 9;

' Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation looking in the direction indicated by the lines i i on Figure 4;

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 12-[2 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary on the line sectional view taken l3--i3 of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line |4-|4 of Figure 4;

Figure 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line |5-|5 of Figure 12;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line |6-|6 of Figure 11;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line of Figure 12;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a guide block shown in section in Figure 12;

Figure 19 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line |9-|9 of Figure 12;

Figures 20, 21 and 22 are similar fragmentary sectional views taken on the'line Zn-I v(if -Figure 12 and showing three positions of the mechanism;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of a unit completed by the apparatus and comprising a plurality of sheets in overlapped relation with the top sheet curled back to show the manner in which the, adhesive is placed thereon;

Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of a part of the apparatus illustrating the driving connections for'the adhesive applying mechanism;

Figure 25 is a fragmentary sectional'view'taken on the line 25-25 of Figure I;

Figure 26 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken onthe line 25-26 of Figure 24;

Figure 27 is a fragmentary perspective view with certain parts left out to illustrate the parts for operating the adhesive applying means;

Figure 28 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken on the line 28-28 of FigureZ; and

Figure 29 is a fragmentary sectional viewataken on the line v2 9-29 of Figure28.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1 to .5, inclusive. These drawings illustrate a sheet assemblingapparatus embodying my invention wherein sheets .cutto.:a desired size are fed by a known sheet..feeder Hi. This. feeder is not shown in detail since itiS :not a part of applicants invention. Figure .3 of the draw s lus ra es the parts. which coop ra to. d l ve sheets fr m a. tack Ll on atable H o. a c nv y 3 A. suct on device. IA engages a h on t s ack andl ftsittcposition to engage two feed rollers l5 and I5 that. advance th s eet to h c nv yor l1. Th suctiondevice is operated by a fan H; ("Figure 1;) which is mounted on a bracket l8 that supports a pedestal r e. eder. The bracket is bolted .to;:one' upright of a supporting frame for th sembling apparatus.

Th pp r n f am f r. th annamtnscom prises a base 2|, two uprights-ZIland-a rectangular frame 22. The uprights 2a are ofdnverted u-shape and the ends of theframe, 22rest on. these uprights. The frame 22 has heavy side pieces 23 and '24 which provide, the supporting means for the variouselements Ofi'thQ apparatus. A motor mounted on the base 2|-= supplies power to drive the assembling apparatus. A second motor 26 on the base 2| drives the fan H. The side pieces 23' an'd'24 carry depending brackets 21 and 28 in which a, shaft 29 (Figures 1 and 24) is journaled. This shaft. has a, large pulley 30 fixed thereon which is driven by a. belt 3| from the motor 25. The shaft '23 has a.v pinion 32 thereon meshing with a gear 33; The gear 33 is fixed to the hub of abevel'gear 34 whichis journaled on a stub shaft 35'" (Figs.1,;2 4. and 25) that is fixed on the bracket 21'. 'The, bevel gear meshes with a bevel" gear 36 that; is fixed to amain shaft 31 that runs lengthwise ofthe apparatus and is journaled in two supporting brackets 38 and 39. The gear 33 meshes with another gear 49 (see Figures 1 and '7) which is fixed on a shaft 4|. The shaft 4| extends through the side pieces 23 and 26 and is journaled therein. The gear fill has a hub 42 on which there is also fixed a sprocket wheel 43. The connections to the parts driven by the gears and shafts described will 'be pointed out more in detail in connection 0 with the description of the parts hereinafter given.

The conveyor 13 has two feed belts I34]. and |3b (Figures 2. 3 and '7) which travel on a driven roller |3c that is part of the feeder. However the feed belts 13c and 3b at their delivery ends ride on two pulleys 44 and 45 (Figure 7) that are mounted for movement toward and away from each other, together with sheet advancing means (described more fully below) to accommodate for sheets of different lengths. The belts may be moved lengthwise on the roller 130 as the pulleys M and 45 are adjusted.

In order to advance sheets from the conveyor B I provide a series-of sheet advancing members 46 at one side of the apparatus and another seriesof sheet advancingmembers Mat the other side of the apparatus. In order to mount these members I provide two spaced posts 48 on the outside of the side piece '23 and two like spaced posts 49 on the outside of the side piece 2 (Figures 7, '8 and 24). These posts are bolted to the sidepieces as illustrated in Figure 24.. The front pair of posts 48-49 are connected at .their top ends by two spaced bars :50 and 5| while therear posts 48 and 6'9 areiconnected by two spaced bars 52 and '53. The front pair :of posts also have journaled therein a shaft .54 :(Figure '7). The shaft has a collar 55 fixed thereon at one end. Asprocket'wheel 56 and a knurled handle 51 are fixed to the other .end of the shaft. The shaft has a righthand screw threaded portion 58 extending from the center out toward the post 48 and a lefthand screw threaded portion 59 extending from the center out toward the post 49. A threaded block to is mounted on the threaded portion 58 and another threaded block 6| is mounted on the portion 59. The blocks 60 and 5| have reduced portions extending upwardly through the Space between the two bars 50-5I. Tie plates 62-58 .are bolted to the upper ends of the reduced portions. The tie plate 62 serves as one support for two slotted bars 64 and 65 and as a support for a .main side guide bar 6.6. Preferably the bars are spot welded to the plate .62, although any suitable fastening may be used. In a similar fashion the tie plate 53 servesas a s pport for twoslotted bars 61 and $8 and a side guide bar 69. By turningthe shaft 154 the plates 62 and 53 and the bars thereon .canbe moved toward and away from each other .to vary the space through which a sheet must pass from the conveyor 13.

The bars 62, 65, 66 are also fixed upon a tie plate thatis fastened to a block H (see Figure 24.) which is threaded to receive a shaft 12 like the shaft 54. The bars 61, 68 and 89 are fixed upon a tie plate 1.3 which is fastened to a block '14; (see Figures .3 and 2.6) whichis threaded to receive the shaft 12. The shaft'12 is journaled -in the .rear posts 48-49 and has a sprocket wheel 15 and a knurled handle '16 fixed thereon. The sprocket wheels 56 and 15 are connected by a sprocket chain H so that adjustment of one shaft efiects adjustment of the other. Thus when either knurled handle is turned the sets of guide bars are moved bodily toward or away from each other.

The bars 64 and 68 carry stub shafts that support the pulleys 45 and 44 so that these pulleys move with the bars 64 and 68. The bars 68 and 69 have sheet guide members I8 and 19 at their front ends. These bars also have sheet top guides secured thereto. The bar 66 has a plurality of plates 88 bolted thereto. These plates carry a bar 8I. The bar 69 has a plurality of plates 82 bolted thereto. These plates carry a bar 88. The bars 8! and 83 extend upwardly at their front ends as indicated at 8Ia and 83a. in Figure '7. The bars BI and 83 carry blocks 84 on which two stub shafts 85-86 are mounted (Figure 7). These stub shafts extend toward each other and have links 8! and 88 pivoted thereon. These links in turn carry light rollers 89 and 86 that are adapted to ride upon the pulleys 44 and 45, respectively. Also the links carry two guide plates 9| and 92 that cooperate with the belts I31; and I32) to guide sheets to the rollers. The bars 8I and 83 have light presser strips 93 and 94 pivoted thereon at spaced intervals lengthwise of the bars. These presser bars are adapted to ride over sheets as they advance from the pulleys 44, 49 and the rollers 89 and 98 and hold the sheets in place.

The sheet advancing members 46 are carried by two spaced sliding bars 95 and 96 (see Figure 9). These bars are spaced apart by a block 9? and secured to the block 91 to move with it. The block 91 has a depending ear 98 which is mounted on a cross shaft 99. The cross shaft 99 is operated in a manner which will be described more fully hereinafter to slide the bars lengthwise. The bars 95 and 96 have spaced lugs I88 riding in a groove I8I provided in the bar 65. Likewise the bar 95 has spaced lugs I82 thereon which ride in a groove I83 provided in the bar 64. The members 46 are pivotally mounted by pins I84 to the bars 95 and 96 and are limited in rocking movement about the pivot by spaced pins I85 and I85 that are mounted in the bars 95 and 96 above and below the members 46. The members 46 carry shafts I86 (see Figures 9, 10 and 26). These shafts carry friction rollers I87 and I 88 that ride in corresponding grooves I89 and H8 formed in the lower edges of the bars 95 and 96. Springs III interposed between the member 46 and the rollers I87 and I88 urge the rollers outwardly against the bars 64 and 65. In operation if the bars 95, 96 are moved toward the left as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 18 the friction of the friction rollers I8! and I 88 against the faces of the stationary bars 64 and 65 will cause the friction rollers to tend to travel from the position shown in Figure 9 to that shown in Figure 10. The result is to cause the member 46 to move from the position shown in Figure 9 to that shown in Figure 10 where it engages the pin I85 and is down below the plane of the top surfaces of the bars 64 and 65. Now, however, when the movement is reversed and the bars 95 and 96 are moved toward the right the friction of the rollers I8? and I98 against the bars 64 and 65 will cause the members 46 to move in a clockwise direction about the pivots I84 until they strike the pins I85. In this position the sheet advancing members 46 are positioned to move sheets along the surfaces of the bars 64, 65, 61 and 68.

The sheet advancing members 41 which are located at the opposite side of the apparatus from the members 46 are carried by sliding bars 95a and 98a which are mounted in precisely the same manner as the bars 95 and 96. The friction rollers I81 and I88 are of course provided on all of the members 41 as well as on the members 46, and pins I85 and I85 are likewise employed in connection with the members 41 the same as they are in connection with the members 46.

At the extreme righthand end of the advancing mechanism embodying the members 46 and 41 I provide slightly different sheet advancing members so as to push the sheets completely beyond the ends of the bars 64, 65, 61 and 68. One of these sheet advancing members is shown best in Figure 9 as comprising a rocker arm II2 pivoted on a pin II3 that is mounted in the bars 95 and 96. This rocker arm carries friction rollers I81 and I 89 just like the members 46 and 41 but its lefthand end engages a stop pin II4 to limit the upward movement thereof. At its righthand end the rocker arm II 2 has a pin II 5 which fits in the bifurcated end II6 of a pivoted sheet advancing member 1. This sheet advancing member is pivoted by a pin II8 to the bars 95 and 98 and has its downward movement limited by a stop pin I I 9. The sheet advancing member II? has an end face I28 facing in the direction of movement of the sheets so that when it is elevated as shown in Figures 8 and 9 it will serve to push sheets in the manner indicated in Figure 8. It will be evident from an examination of Figure 9 that when the bars 95 and 96 are moved to the left the resulting movement of the rocker arm H2 will be counterclockwise so as to'raise the pin H5 and lower the sheet engaging end of the member I I7 below the top surfaces of the bars 64 and 65. The bars 95a and 96a carry a sheet advancing device I2I similar in all respects to the mechanism just described as carried by the bars 95 and 96. v

The means for moving thebars 95, 96, 95a and 96a (Figs. 7 and 8) comprises-links I22 and I23 which are pivoted to the cross shaft 99 and which are pivoted to two crank arms I24 and I25. These crank arms are carried by a rock shaft I26 that is journaled in the brackets 21. and 28. The rock shaft I26 is connected by a lever arm I21 and a link I28 to a pin I29 on a disc I38 that is fixed on the shaft .4I The shaft M is of course driven by the gear 48 and the rotation of this shaft effects rocking of the shaft I26through the link i and lever mechanism just described.

The crank arms I24 and I25 have sumcient travel to move the bars 950. and 96a from the position shown in Figure 1 tothe position shown in Figure 8 in full lines. The full line position of the crank arms shown in Figure 1 is indicated in dotted line position in Figure 8. It will be evident from an inspection of Figure 8 that the members 46 and 41 will be moved in enough to the left in the dotted line position shown in Figure 8 to engage behind a sheet that has been delivered by the conveyor I3. The rock shaft I26 also carries a lever arm I3I which is connected by a link I32 (see Figure 1) to an operating cam lever I33 that actuates a lifting mechanism I34 of the sheet feeding apparatus I8. The sheet feeding apparatus is thus operated in timed relation to the advance of sheets by the members 46 and 41. The sprocket wheel 43 is connected by a chain I35 to a sprocket; wheel I36 that is mounted on a stub shaft I31 which also carries a pulley I38 fixed to the sprocket wheel I36. A belt I99 on the pulley I38 drives'a pulley I48 which in turn actuates the roller I3c of the conveyor I 3.

- As the sheets are advanced by the members 46 and 41 theypass over two adhesive applying devices I41 and I42 (see Figures 2, 8, 24, 25 and- 26). The sheets are left in position over the adhesive applying devices while the members 48 and 41' are retracted and returned to position to advance an additional sheet, during this stationary period of the sheets adhesive is applied to them by adhesive applying fingers I43 of the device MI and fingers I44 of the device I42. The'sefmgers are mounted on rock shafts I45 and I46, respectively, and the rock shafts I45 and I48 are operated' by duplicate mechanisms at opposite sides of the apparatus, which will be described more fully hereinafter. The fingers normally rest in two adhesive containing tanks I41 and I48 which are supported upon angle irons I4'9'and I50 that extend across the apparatus and are fixed to the side pieces 23 and 24. The tanks are removable and are provided with headed pins II and I52 which are adapted to engage the biiurcated ends of two brackets I53 and I54 mounted on each of the bars 96 and 69 (see Figs. 24 and 26).

The shafts I45 and I49 are of course journaled in the tanks and extend through the tank walls where they are provided with crank arms I55 and I56. Thecrank arms I55 and I59 have pins I55 and I59 in their free ends which slide in a bar I51 (see Figures 24, 25 and 2'?) that is car-- ried by two bell cranks I58 and I59. The bell cranks I5 8and I59 are pivoted on studs I60 and IGI that are provided on a cross bar H52 that is bolted to the side pieces 23 and 24. The bell crank I58 has three arms I63, I64 and I65 and the bell crank I59 has two arms I96 and IE1. The arms I85 and I81 are connected by a link I68 so that the two bell cranks must move in unison. The arm 296 of the bell crank I59 has a pin I09 which extends into the bar I51 and acts as a support therefor. Likewise the arm I54 of the bell crank I58 has a pin I which extends through one end of the bar I51 and a nut I1I secures the bar in place on the pin I18. The arm I83 has its free end connected by a link I12 to one arm I13 of another three-armed bell crank I14 which is pivoted on a bracket I that is secured to the side piece 28. A second arm I15 of the bell crank I14 carries a rectangular pin I11 which is adapted to be engaged by a latch I18 that is pivoted to the bracket I15 by a pin I19 and is actuated by a link I89. The third arm I8I of the bell" crank I14 is connected by a link I82 to one arm I83 of another bell crank I84 that is pivoted at I85 to the bracket I15. The bell crank I04 has another arm I85 which carries a cam roller I81 at its free end and the cam roller rides upon a cam I88 that is fixed on the main drive shaft 31.

As described hereinbefore, the main drive shaft 31' is driven from a gear 33 that meshes with the gear on the shaft M which actuates the rock shaft I28 that in turn operates the sheet advancing members and 41. The timing is such therefore that the cam I88 on the shaft 3'1 operates the train of bell cranks I84, I14, I58 and I59 to raise and lower the bar I51 in timed relation to the advance or sheets by the members 49 and 41 so that the crank arms I and I56 may actuate the rock shafts I45 and I46 to cause them tobring the adhesive applying fingers I43 and I44 into engagement with the sheets while the sheets are at rest and the members 46 and 41 are moving to the left as shown in Figure 8 and are retracted as shown in Figure 10. The sheets therefore are stationary during the application of the adhesive. Ant-inspection of Figure 26 will show that the adhesive applying fingers engage the sheets at their extreme outer edges. Suitablebars suchas that indicatedat I89 in Figure 26- are located directly above the fingers I43and I44, these b-arsbeing secured-to the plates ancl'82.

In the assembly of the sheets intogroups it is desirable at intervals to cause the" adhesive applying fingers to skip a sheet so that only a certainnumber of sheets will be adhered together in each group. The function of the latch I18 and its actuating link P88 isto efiect a skipping of a sheet by the fingers I43 and I44 in the manner which will now be-described.

Referring now to Figure 24-, the link I80 is shown as extending downwardly to a latch arm I90 which is pivoted at I91" on a plate 2111 that is bolted to the bracket 21. A spring I92 has one end connected to a pin I93 onthe bracket 21 and the other end' connected to a pin I 94 on the link I80. The spring is=undertension tending to pull the link I80 down. The latch arm I90 rides on a rotating disc I95- which has a gear I96 fixed thereto, the-disc and the gear being mounted on a stub shaft I95. The plate 21%; is bolted to the bracket 21. The gear I98 meshes with another gear I91 which is rotatably journa'led on a shaft I98 that is adjustahly'mounted' in a slot 199 of the plate 21a. The gear I91 meshes with a, gear 29H which is pivoted on a stub shaft 2-01 which also pivotally mounts a lever 202 which carries a pawl 203*, the pawl -203'being adapted to engage the teeth of the gear 200- and lock it when the lever 292' is moved in a clockwise direction. The lever arm 202 is actuated bya link 204 which is connected to the gear 40 at 205 by" an adjustable pin and a slot-206 the gear. Upon each rotation of the" gear 40 the pawl 283' will advance the gear 200 and through it the gears I91 and I98; Since each rotation of the gear 40 means the advance of'the sheet, thenumberof rotations necessary to move the-latch'arm' I90 so that a projection- 201 thereon will move from one notch 298 to another'notch 289- in the member I95 will determine the. number of sheets that will be advancedto the adhesive fingers before the latch arm I90 drops down due to the projection 201 failing the notch- 298 or 209. When the arm I90 drops down the link I80 is moved downward to cause the latch 418- to fall in the position to engage the squared pin I11 on the crank arm I16. This engagement takes place when the arm 1 16 of the belI crank #14 is raised". When the arm. I1 6 is raisedthe parts are in position where the adhesive applying fingers are lowered into the adhesive and the cam I88 has raised the cam roller I281. It is evident "that whenthe latch I18 drops into position to engage the pin I11 the adhesiveapplying fingers will be held down until another rotation of the gear 40 steps the .gears 200; I S-1- and I98 ahead to move the projection 201 outof the notch 208. That of" course will release the -latch I18-and allowthe :bell' crank I14 to operate. When it is desired to change the number'of sheets in agroup the only change necessary in the mechanism is to remove the units 1 955-49 5 and substitute another unit having a different spacing of the notches 208, 209.. For example, if the'unit shown .in' place in Figure 24 of the drawings causes twelve sheets to be adhered together before'skipping'a sheet, a changed unit might add another notch in the member I95 and then you would get'only eight-units adhered o ether beftreslsippins'wna The sheets that are to be assembled together are delivered from the pusher elements H1 over a cross bar 210 and onto a shelf 2| (see Figures 20 to 22, inclusive). The cross bar 2H1 forms one jaw of a gripping which is composed of a series of spaced members 2l2 on another cross bar 2|3, the members 2l2 being held by wing nuts 2M and being adjustable lengthwise of the bar 2! 3. The bar 2 I3 is adapted to be moved vertically from a non-gripping position as shown in Figure 20 to a gripping position as shown in Figures 21 and 22 by mechanism which will be described more fully hereinafter. Directly over the shelf 2| I I provide a plurality of stop bars 215 that are vertically reciprocable by means of two supporting arms 2l6 that are fixed on a rock shaft 2. The stop bars 2l5 are pivotally secured by bolts 2!8 to the free ends of the arms 2 !6 so that they may be adjusted angularly with respect to the ends of the arms. In order to provide the adjustment I provide pins 2!!! on the arms, which pins pass through openings 220 provided in the bars 2! 5, the openings being somewhat larger than the pins. Adjusting screws 22! are threaded vertically through the bars 2 l into the openings 220 so as to bear against the pins 2 I9. Lock nuts 222 are provided for the adjusting screws 22! to lock them in position.

Before proceeding further with the description of the apparatus I refer to Figure 23 to illustrate the resulting unit of sheets as it is finally assembled by this apparatus. This unit of sheets con.- sists of a plurality of like sheets A, one superposed upon another so as to provide exposed portions B of each sheet beneath the top one. These exposed narrow portions are utilized in duplicating processes to receive separate lines from a single masmaster sheets for imprinting the material exposed from a multiplicity of sheets onto a single sheet. In every instance the desirable characteristic of the unit strip assembly is that you may use the multiplicity of sheets as a single unit, in some process of the system for transferring information,

members I! i over the bar 2!!! and onto the shelf 2!! the stop bars 2I5 are in lowered position so that the sheet is the bar 2l3 is lowered and the members 2l2 are pressed against the sheet or sheets on the bar am. The next step is a lifting of the stop members 2H5 followed by a movement to the right of the bars 2!!! and 2I3. The stop bars 2l5 remain raised until the parts reach the position shown in Figure 22 at which time the rock shaft 2!! is actuated to lower the bars 2|5 onto the shelf 2i! mechanism, the other jaw of I course the adhered parts so as to grip a sheet thereon. The next succeeding sheet is fed in the same fashion and overlapping of the sheets is thus accomplished. As the pile of sheets grows the lower sheets are passed along onto a second shelf member 223 which is mounted to move with the bars 2H! and 2! 3 in their horizontal movement. The shelf member 223 cooperates with two holding pins 224 to insure advance of the sheets. The pins 224 are carried by a plurality of bars 225 supported on the bar 2! 3. These pins 224 are provided with knurled heads 224' by which they may be adjusted.

The mechanism by which the gripping devices just described are operated is best shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 11 to 19, inclusive. Two side frames 226 and 221' are overlapped with the side pieces 23 and 24. These side pieces are coupled together by a cross bar 228 that is bolted to the side pieces 226 and 22! by two bolts 229 and 230'. The cross bar 228 has two bolts 23! and 232 extending downwardly therethrough and carrying a clamping bar 233 that fits under the inside flanges of the side pieces 23 and 24 (see particularly Figure 12). The side pieces 23 and 24 have rack segments 234 and 235 bolted thereon. A shaft 236 (see Figure 14) is journaled in the side frames 226 and 22'! and carries two gears 23'! and 238 that ride on the rack segments 234 and 235. The shaft 236 projects through the side frame 221 and is provided with a polygonal head 239 so that it can be turned by a crank (not shown) to slide the side frames 22'! and 225 longitudinally with respect to the side pieces 23 and 24. The side frames 226 and 22'! carry the gripping members hereinbefore described and the adjustment of these side frames takes care of the spacing between the discharge ends of the sheet advancing members H1 and the first gripping members comprising the bar 2H) and the associated members 2!2 on the bar 2l3. It will be evident that for different widths of sheets this spacing will have to be varied.

The side frame 226 has a bearing 248 thereon (see Figure 11) for the main drive shaft 31. A beveled gear 24! iskeyed to the drive shaft 3! so as to be slidable thereon, the shaft being provided with a keyway 242 in order that the beveled gear 24! can move lengthwise of the shaft as the frames 226 and 221 are adjusted lengthwise of the side pieces 23 and 24. The gear 24! meshes with a gear 243 that is mounted on a st-ub shaft 244 which is mounted in the side frame 226. The gear 243 has a hub portion 244 on which another gear 245 is keyed (see Figure 12). The gear 245 meshes with a gear 246 which is journaled on a stub shaft 24'! carried by the side frame 225. A third gear 248 is carried by a similar stub shaft 249 also mounted on the side frame 226. The gears 246 and 248 carry adjustable crank discs 25!) and 25! thereon. these crank discs having crank pins 253 and 254 fixed thereon. The adjustment of the discs is accomplished by means of arcuate slots 255 and suitable screw bolts 256 that extend through the slots and are threaded into the gears 246 and 248, respectively. The crank pin 254 has a link 25'! connected thereto (see Figure 11). This link is connected to one end of a rocker that is mounted on a shaft 259, the shaft tending through the frames 226 and 221 journaled therein. The rocker arm portion 250 which is provided with a at its free end for a purpose which will appear. At the. outside of the frame shaft 259 carries a lever arm 262 which 259 exand being 258 has a roller 26! presently 221 the is similar 11 ail respects to the portion 250 :Of the rocker arm 255 which also carries a 161L913 the purose of which will be described more fully hereinafter. Two springs 260a and 251a are connected to the arms 25!! and {25:2 and tend to pull the lever arms upwardly at all times.

Referring now to Figure 1 the portion 26B of the rocker arm 25B and shown with their corresponding roliers 25.1 and :233 beneath two vertically siidable pins 264 and 2-55 which are siidabie in two brackets 2.65 and 261. The brackets 2.6.6 and 2161 extend over the side frame 223 and 22'! and are connected to slide blocks 268 and 2.68 that slide in grooves Provided on the inner surfaces of the side frames 225 2211. The pins 254 and 265 carry two bars 216 and 2-1 I. the bars being adjustably mounted thereon by threaded sleeves 112 and 213 into which reduced upper extensions 121A and 2'55 of the pins 25.! and 26.5 are threaded. These bars 211! and 2]! have pins at their outer ends to which the upper ends of the springs 263a and 282a are connected. At their inner ends the bars are and 2' are secured by screw bolts 216 and .211 to the cross bar 213. The rollers 23! and 253, when moved up ainst the lower headed and of the pins :26 and 235, lift these pins and thus by means of the bars 213 and Z! I lift the cross ar 213 with its associat d grinning m m bers 2:2. order to force the gripping members and the bar .213 downward (I p ovide two posts .218 and 21:3 that are threaded into the bar are and project upwardiv through the bar 253. A sprin 28!) is wound about the post 218 and is un r compress-ion between the head of the post and the bar 213. A similar sprin 281 surrounds the pe t 22.9 and is compression between the head of this post and the bar 2l3.

In front of the bar 249 and carried thereby I provide side guides 2.8.2 and 283 (Fi ures 12, .9, 2.0 and 24). These side guides are carried by and adjustable lengthwise between two spaced parallel bars 28a that are secured to the bar 2w by ol s 285. Knurled headed clamping members 283 and 231 are used to clamp the guide blocks 282 and 283 in the desired position to form side guides for sheets entering the grippers.

The rocker arm 258 also serves to actuate the arms 216 by rockin he shaft 211. is accornplished by means of a link 288 th t is pivoted to the rocker arm Lsee Figure 11) and slidable in a cr ss h ad 283 which is pivoted on a lever arm 29!! fixed to the shaft 211. A spring .291 under compression between the cross head 289 and a nut 292 .on the upper end of the link 2-8.8 serves to yieldingly urge the cross head down-- ward but o permit enough sliding etween the cross head and the link 288 to accommodate the build up of sheets on the shelf 2, The shelf 2!! is fastened to the Side frames 225 and .221 in the manner illustrated in F gure 14 y two blocks 393 and 2.94 which are bo ted o the side frames, the shelf b ng bolt d to these blocks. It will be recalled that hereinbeiere the slide blocks 263 and 26.9 were referred to as supporting the brackets 263 and 251. These blocks also carry th cross bar or shelf 223, he shelf being boIted to the blocks as illustrated best in Figure 17. The cross b r .21 also bolted to the blocks 268 and 2.69 so as to move therewith when these blocks are mov d leng hwise of the frame 26 and 221. It will be noted from an examination of Figures i, 1.1, 14 and 17 that the blocks 26.8 and 2.69 which are secured to the brackets 266 and .261 are constrained to s ide to the right as the arm 2132 .are-

12 shown in Fi ure .11 by means of a pair of springs 295 and 2:96 which are fastened into hooks provided in the top of the brackets 268 and 261 and llOOkS provided in the top of the side frames 226 and 21 The bar 223 serves a the supporting means for a series 0f strips 29?! which are extended rearwardlry from the bar 223 and supported at their rear ends :upon a series of rollers 298, 299 and 3&0 (see Figures 4 and 6). The rollers just mentioned are carried by two side bars 38! and 332, the front ends of which are bolted to the side frames 223 and 227, These side bars 801 and .392 have adjustable legs 303 and 304 fastened there o and the legs are supported on rollers 305 and 306. This is necessary because of the fact that the side bare must move with the side frames .225 and 221 toward and away from the rest of the assembling apparatus which is fixed on the base 2|. At the discharge end of the strips 231 these strips are connected together by a cross bar .301 which has at its opposite ends two rollers 30.8 and 399 that bear against the adjacent side bars 30.! and 30.2 to serve as a guide for the strips in their reciprocatory movemeat. It will be recalled that the strips 291 are fixed to the bar 233 which in turn is reciprocable with the bar .243

intermediate the strips 29'! I arrange a series of spaced strips .313, there being two strips 3m between each adjacent Pair of strips 29?. These strips 343 are arranged with their long dimension vertical and are mounted in spaced relation .on a pair of charts 3 and 3|2. Tubular spacers are used on the shafts to properly space the strips .311) thereon, The shafts 3H and 3|2 are secured at their opposite ends to four bell crank levers 313., 3, 315 and 356. The bell crank levers 3.43 and 345 are secured together by a link .311 and similarly the bell crank levers 3M and .316 are secured together by a link 3l8. The bell cranks 315 and 316 are connected by a pair of links era .to two lever arms 320 on a shaft 325. The shaft :32] has an extension 322 thereon which :is connected by a short link 323 to a lever arm 324 that is fixed on the shaft 211. Th effect of this linkage is to lower the strips 310 when the gripper and stop members Zli are raised, and to raise the strips 3! above the level of the strips 29! when the stop members 2S5 are in lowered or holding position.

The mechanism by which the sliding blocks 238 and 289 and the several parts carried thereby are reciprocated comprises rack segments 325 and 326 fixed on the brackets 2G6 and 26?, respectively {Figures 11 and 12), a shaft 321 journaled. in the side frames 226 and 221, two seg- Inental gears 328 and 329 fixed. to said shaft 321, an arm 330 integral with the gear segment 328 and extending downwardly, a link 33l pivoted to the .free end of the arm 330, anarcuate arm 332 to which the link is pivotally and adjustably secu ed, a hub 333 journaled on a stub shaft 334,

a lever arm 335 integral with the hub 333 and a link 336 connecting the free end of the lever arm 3.35 to the crank pin 253 on the disc 253. The stub shaft 33.4 is mounted on a bracket 33'! that is bolted to the side frame 226. The link 33! is adjustably secured on the arm 332 b a channeled member 338 (Figure 16) and .a combined pivot and clamping bolt 339.

An adjustable connection is provided between the lever arm 335 and the link 336. This connection comprises a head 340 on the lever arm 335, an elongated slot 3 in the head, a bolt 13 342 extending through the head, a slidable block 343 threaded to receive the bolt and a pivot pin 344 on the block 343 for the link 336. The block is adjusted by turning the bolt 342. It is locked in adjusted position by a round portion 345 engaging one face of the head 340 and a nut 346 and a washer 347 on a threaded stem 348 pro jecting beyond the opposite face of the head are.

It will be noted that the gear segments 328 and 329 are in two pieces to provide for increasing and decreasing the arcuate extent of the segments when desired.

A receiving tray 35!] (Figures 1, 4, and 6) is connected to a cross bar 35| mounted at the outer ends of the side bars 38!, SE52 so that the units of sheets may be stacked thereon as they are delivered from the apparatus.

In feeding the sheets they sometimes clog (crumble up) at the point where they pass from the adhesive applying ping gripper mechanisms. In order to prevent difficulty I provide means to stop the machine when this occurs. This means is best shown in Figures 2, 28 and 29. A bar 352 is mounted on two posts 353-354 which are threaded into the bar 52. The bar 352 extends transversely of the apparatus to about the center line thereof. .A central sheet supporting strip 355 extends from directly beneath the free end of the bar to the conveyor l3. This strip bars 50, 5!, 52 and 53. A flat plate 355 is se cured on the strip 355 beneath the bar 352 and extends forwardly as shown in Figures 2 and 28. The bar 352 carries a spring finger 3 .5! that ex tends forwardly, then bends back upon itself and extends between the bar 352 and the plate 355 terminating in a downwardly sloping tip portion the overlapping grippers. The bar 352 carries a block of insulation 358 that has a contact strip 359 thereon. The strip 359 faces down and the spring minal of the transformer is grounded on the side and the finger 351. The details of the control gers 355, similar to the finger 351, are located a the sides of the machine adjacent to the sheet advancing members ill. These fingers are bar 65 and the other pair plate 361 that is carried b bar 69.

It is believed that the nature of my invention and the advantages thereof will be clear to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is:

1. An apparatus for producing a unit of accurately overlapped sheets secured togethe comprising sheet supporting and guiding means, sheet advancin members spaced lengthwise of said supporting and guiding means to successively engage a sheet, said advancing members being mounted for reciprocatory movement length-- wise of the sheet supporting and guiding means,

the main side guide position to the overlapis carried by the cross and a wiring terminal I contact strip 355;?

means to reciprocate said members lengthwise of said means, means for moving the members out of the path of the sheets as the same are moved in one direction and into the path of the sheets as the same are moved in the opposite direction, adhesive applying fingers, mechanism operatively connecting the fingers the means to reciprocate said members whereby the fingers engage a defined portion of a sheet while it is stationary on said supporting and guiding means as the members are moving in the direction opposite that of the advance of the sheets and are re tracted during advance of the sheets, means to supply adhesive to said fingers, sheet overlapping and pressing means comprising a pair of sheet gripping devices thereon spaced apart in the direction of advance of the sheets, the gripping device most in advance having a registering stop portion positioned, when it is in gripping position, to limit the advance of a sheet by engagement therewith of the last of said advancing members to place the portion of said sheet ongaged by said fingers in a predetermined position relative to said stop portion, the other gripping device being mounted for short reciprocatory movements in the direction of advance of the sheets while in gripping position and in the opposite direction while not in gripping position, means for actuating said gripping devices alternately whereby adhesive-carrying sheets advanced to said gripping devices are pressed together in uniformly accurate overlapped relationship, and a platform receiving the overlapped sheets from said gripping devices, said platform comprising a horizontally reciprocable portion moving with the reciprocable gripping device, and a vertically reciprocable portion operable to lift the overlapped sheets from the horizontally reciprocable portion during the movement of the horizontally reciprocable portion in the direction opposite the direction of advance of the sheets.

2. An apparatus for producing a unit of accurately overlapped sheets secured together, comprising sheet supporting and guiding means, sheet advancing members spaced lengthwise of said supporting and guiding means to successively engage a sheet, said advancing members being mounted for reciprocatory movement lengthwise of the sheet supporting and guiding means, means to reciprocate said members lengthwise of said means, means for moving the members out of the path of the sheets as the same are moved in one direction and into the path of the sheets as the same are moved in the opposite direction, adhesive applying fingers, mechanism operatively connecting the fingers with the means to reciprocate said members whereby the fingers engage a defined portion of a sheet while it is stationary on said supporting and guiding means as the members are moving in the direction opposite that of the advance of the sheets and are retracted during advance of the sheets, means to supply adhesive to said fingers, sheet overlapping and pressing means comprising a pair of sheet grippin devices thereon spaced apart in the direction of advance of the sheets, the gripping device most in advance having a registering stop portion positioned, when it is in gripping position, to limit the advance of a sheet by engagement therewith of the last of said advancing members to place the portion of said sheet engaged by said fingers in a predetermined position relative to said stop portion, the other gripping device being mounted for short reciprocatory movements inthe direction of ad- 

